A Frozen Rose
by SilverFox0ne
Summary: I wish I could say that I remember the time before I got sent to this world but after six hundred plus years I don't. In that time I spent over two hundred of them protecting the city state of Acadia from monsters and dragons. I got myself a life mate and a clutch of eggs. Things were going good until those I protected betrayed me by destroying my family. They will feel my wrath.
1. Misfortune of an outrealmer

**21st of November 953 A.N.M.(After Nightmare Moon) Camelot capital of New Arcadia. Celestia's school for gifted Arcadians.**

A young woman with red and yellow hair was sitting at a table in the library with an old looking scroll in front of her. Every so often she would mutter to herself and then write something down in the notebook she held in her hands. "Ok, let's see what it says in this passage of this old scroll from the old Aerian city of Thebes has to say."

When the dreamer is once again free from her nightmare by magic's chosen heir and their companions, and the King of madness is tamed. Then the frozen Rose in a crystal prison will awake. This will usher in a winter without end, unless a dragon hatched by a rainbow's boom is present when Winter brings it's wrath upon summer's Steward.

"Well that's rather vague." She said with disdain. She then took in a deep breath and sighed. "What else was I expecting from someone named Farseer? You know, for once I would like to translate one of the scrolls for Celestia and not have to deal with them being either vague or a riddle."

"Pardon me miss Sunset Shimmer but High Ascendant Celestia has sent a message for you." A man covered in gold armor and giant brown wings said as he approached the area Sunset was sitting. He handed her a roll scroll adorned with Celestia's personal seal.

"Thanks for delivering this." Sunset replied as she took the scroll. She the broke the seal and began reading.

To my darling student Sunset, I know that you are busy translating the old scrolls in the academy's library for me but I have another task for you. An expedition to the Frozen North has discovered what they believe to be old Arcadia. In the middle of the ruins, they found six crystal statues of what looks to be Arcadians circling a giant crystal rose. At the foot of the rose was a bunch of what looked to be memory crystals. Now, this isn't surprising in of itself as we have found memory crystals this old before. What is strange is that these particular ones are more advanced than the ones we currently use today. As such, the mages that went with the expedition have been unable to unlock the memories in the devices. If you could come to the palace at your convenience I would like you to take a look at them.

Sincerely, Celestia

"Well, it will be a welcome break from these dusty old scrolls. I guess I'll head over now. Lead the way." Sunset said to the guard after she put away the scroll she was looking at.

 **13th of January 954 A.N.M. Camelot Castle.**

Sunset was in the magic laboratory of the Camelot Castle where she was examining six book shaped crystals. She was currently casting a high level altercation magic spell to try to get access to the memories held within. Once she cast the spell with no noticeable effect,she sighed in exasperation. "Seriously, I have tried everything I can think of to open these things. It's not like the inscriptions in dragovic on the front of them is helping. Speak Rose and remember. The person who made this really didn't want anyone getting into them. Ugh, two months and still no progress. This is much more frustrating than translating old scrolls." she then pick up the oldest looking one and stared at the inscriptions on it. 'Wouldn't it be funny if the inscriptions were meant to be taken literal?' She thought to herself. "Well it's not like I have any better ideas." She then held the crystal up at eye level and uttered, "Tilek!" To her surprise, the crystal started glowing and her consciousness got drawn into the crystal.

My **25th of May 221 A.D. (After Displacement)**

name is John Romero or as least it was about two hundred years ago. Now I know what you are thinking, 'a human can not live that long.' well you're right a 'human' can't. But then I haven't been human for a long time. I am now something called a manakete. Well back to the matter at hand. I have decided to record myself in this memory crystal because I have been losing my memory for centuries, because I am in the form of a dragon. You see, in the mythology of the game my form hails from, if a dragon stays in their elemental form, they start going through a process known as degradation. From what I can remember, the only way to stop it is to turn human, but I cannot do that, even with my dragonstone. It might have to do with when I fought that giant red dragon that tried to mate with me and tackled me into a field of blue flowers. I felt the sudden loss of the extra weight on me and looked around only to see that the other dragon was flying away like a bat out of hell. I still don't know why he left when he had me helpless, but I haven't been able to take on my human form since. I predict that in about another fifty years or so, I will lose the last memories of the time before I got sent to this world and soon after, I will lose all sanity. At which point I will try to kill all other living things in this world like the dragons from that game I mentioned. So I am now reciting the story of who I was and how I got here to try to keep myself sane as long as possible.

I was a seventeen year old male human who lived in Springfield, Oregon in the United States of America with his mom and two younger twin sisters. My mom's name was Sarah Romero and she worked at the local hospital as an E.R. nurse. My sisters were named Kaylin and Jennifer, and as they were both thirteen they went to middle school. I was really into video games and was always getting the newest games and systems, spending all my extra time and money on them. I mean gaming pretty much defined my life back then. Come to think of it, I guess you could blame that unhealthy obsession for my current predicament. Well let's begin with the day it all went wrong, November 15th 2025.

I spent most of the day in my room playing my favorite online game Fire Emblem Online on my Nervegear. Now I probably should explain what nervegear is because we don't have anything like it in this world. Nervegear is a virtual game headset that catches the mental signals in your brain and transmits them to a virtual body instead of your real body. While you couldn't move or feel anything in real life, you could feel and experience everything in the game.

I had just defeated the Fel Dragon Grima, gaining the felblood crest for my female manakete character named Xarzith Tilek or Ice Rose in English. As I had already got the Crest of Naga the week before, that meant that I could get into the secret outrealm that required both marks to open. It was a feat no one had managed to do. Getting one crest required you to solo a 100 floor dungeon, with each floor increasing in difficulty as you descended further. It was no wonder why nobody had accomplished it in the first month of the game's release. It took me two and a half weeks but I finally did it and I didn't want to wait to find out what was so special about the outrealm.

As I was about to open the gate I heard a ping. I opened my main menu and saw that I had a message from my mom. I sighed and opened the message. 'It is dinner time come down and eat.' I wasn't about to let anything stop me from opening that gate as soon as possible. I quickly sent a message to my mom that I wasn't hungry. After that, I put both my hands on the gate. The Crest of Naga in my right hand and the Felblood Crest in my left hand started to glow. A message box popped up in front of me. 'You will not be able to return if you open this gate are you sure you wish to continue? Yes or No.'

As this message appeared at both Naga and Grima's dungeons I rolled my eyes and and pressed yes. As the gate opened I was surrounded by a bright light that made me close my eyes. When I opened them again I noticed that I was in a large white circular room with no exit. In the center of the room, there was a counter with lots of different goods on it. The items present varied from class changing items like friendship seals to near legendary weapons like Sol. Behind the counter sat a woman with a red ponytail wearing a red and yellow trickster outfit from Fire Emblem: Awakening. She was in her iconic pose with the index finger of her right hand on chin with a sly smile on her face.

"Oh wow someone actually got here in less than two months, guess I owe Adam twenty bucks now." She said while looking me over. Then she brought up her right hand to chin level and swiped down bringing up her menu. "Let's see, Who are we dealing with? Humm, I see, would you say that all this information is correct?" She asked as she flicked her wrist and the info window moved to in front of me.

Player information,

User name: John Romero

Age: 17

Gender: male

Character Name: Xarzith Tilek

Character Gender: Female

Race: Manakete, Ice dragon variety Class: Magic Fighter level 30

Weapon Ranks: Sword A Magic B Dragon Stone S Staves S

Abilities: Dragon form, Paragon, Dragon's Bane, Renewal, Miracle, and Vengeance.

Hair Color: Sky blue

Eye Color: Silver

Member of the Eyes of Dawn guild.

"Yes this is all right." I answered after looking over the window very thoroughly. "So, now that I made it here, is this all there is to that gate? Just this room, because if it is I am quite disappointed. I was hoping something interesting was going to happen, after all the time I put into getting here."

"Oh, don't worry about that Hon. Something interesting will definitely be happening to you in a little bit. Just as soon as the director and her associate get here in about…" A loud popping sound and a bright light interrupt her mid-sentence. "Well I guess right now."

I heard a snapping sound and then I was lifted up off the ground. "What's going on? Why am I floating and why can't I move?" I asked frantically, suddenly very concerned.

"What's going on is that you have volunteered to be the first of the control group for interdimensional travel and body argumentation. The data we will get from you will enable us to get government sanction and founding." A very feminine voice said from behind me. "And before you say that we can not do this to you, remember the warning that appeared before you entered the gate to this area? Well, by pressing yes and entering here, you legally signed your life to us." As she said this she walked in front of me and I saw that she looked like an older version the woman behind the counter that was full of goods. "Hello, I am Doctor Anna Sharp. Director of the Nerotech company, nice to meet you. I would also like to thank you for your help in saving our race before we send you off to your new life." She told me then she then looked behind her and asked, " Is everything ready Sara? All energy sensors up and running and ready to record all data from this event?"

"Yes director, I've double checked everything and we are ready to proceed as soon as your associate is ready." The young woman replied, after which they both looked behind me. I then felt a cold feeling that started at me feet and then made its way upward. I shivered at the feeling and tried to say something to get them to stop but when I opened my mouth no sound came out. As soon as the feeling reached my head I passed out.

I came to suspended in darkness with a figure in a cloak in front of me. I tried to say something only for no sound to come out of my mouth. "Funny they think that they know what they are getting you into." She laughed for a moment at this, "Well at least you won't be here when they get raided, before I forget." She pulled out a small envelope with only two words written on it, " _From Eris."_ "A word of warning keep your eyes closed, and your mind sound, this is going to hurt… well it doesn't have to hurt but it's a bit more fun this way."

She snapped her fingers and things started to shift. A tear opened in the air, with this multi-colored thing looking right back at me before it swallowed me up. It felt like my very atoms were being ripped apart and put back together. I don't know how long that lasted as I had blacked out almost immediately.

That is how I got here wherever here is. Wait, I remember that in the game a manakete named Tiki hibernated for a thousand years and didn't lose her mind. I should try that.

As Sunset came back to reality She was ecstatic about finally getting into a memory crystal. She hurried to grab a blank scroll, a quill, and some ink and wrote down all the information she got from the crystal before she forgot it. "Celestia will definitely want to know that there was a interdimensional traveler back in ancient times. Well let's see what's in the other crystals." She told herself as she readied another crystal.

 **7th of July 556 A.D.**

I can no longer remember the time before I came to this world. I use my memory crystals but I still can't recall any of it. The hibernation didn't help me keep my memories, and I find myself with the uncontrollable urge to destroy things. I will please my destructive urges by protecting the weaker races from the native dragons. Hopefully, that will keep me from going full blown Grima on this world.

"Nothing much in this crystal besides stating that hibernation didn't work on her problem." Sunset said as she wrote down the information anyways. She then repeated the process.

 **23rd of August 617 A.D.**

I have been keeping dragons away from the city of Arcadia for the last two hundred years. Not that the Arcadians know anything about it. In that time I have killed more dragons then I can count, and still I have this need to destroy that won't go away. I am now having nightmares of slaughtering people by the hundreds and razing entire cities. I feel as if I am at the edge of a cliff and just a little push is all it would take to push me over the edge. I don't know how much longer I can last.

Sunset felt an urge that to use the next crystal right away. She didn't know were this feeling was coming from but she complied with it and activated the next crystal.

 **15th of May 637 A.D.**

I had a meeting with a dragon yesterday, he had purple scales and green spikes running down his back. He was different from all the other dragons that I have met. His name is Mitneir Kepesk and he is trying to gather strong and rational dragons for his friend Infernal, who is trying to unite all the dragons into a nation. He said that having me on their side would cow some of the die hard traditionalists into seeing their side of things, because the fear and respect for my killing power has spread from the few dragons that got away from me alive. I told him that I would think about it and he said that he would be back in a week for my answer. The best part is that for the first time in two hundred plus years I did not dream of destruction but only of Storm. I think I will join in this endeavor to unify the dragons.

"Wait, so this Mitneir was one of the founders of the Dragon Empire? Hmm, must remember to ask if they have any information on this Xarzith Tilek." Sunset mused to herself as she readied the next crystal.

 **17th of November 645 A.D.**

It took him eight years, but Mitneir has finally asked me to be his life mate and I said yes. Now that Infernal has sovereignty over the majority of dragon kind and has declared young Torch as heir, Mitneir and I are free to live our lives together away from the other dragons. Who are uncomfortable with me being nearby. I found a nice cave in the Crystal Mountains bordering Acadia that would make a good home.

 **22nd of February 651 A.D.**

They killed him. The Arcadians killed my life mate and stole our clutch of eggs. Why? Why would they do this? After years of protecting them from dragons and other monsters and this is how they repay me. I will destroy their civilization and kill all their loved ones. They have taken my happiness so I will take everything from them. Let them feel my pain. They will know the frozen touch of winter.

Sunset was sweating after the memories in the last crystal were done playing. "I actually felt her rage and suffering. How strong must they have been to in plant themselves into a memory crystal. One things for sure I've got to let Celestia know that we might have found the reason that old Arcadia fell." She said as she gathered up her scrolls to deliver them to Celestia. She took one last look at the crystals before she left the room. After she left the crystals flashed a light blue before turning completely black.


	2. Of Flowers and Empaths

**Against 8th, 2 A.L.R. (After Luna's Return.) The Frozen North**

 **Ruins of Old Arcadia.**

On the top floor of one of the derelict towers that surrounded the frozen courtyard of the old arcadian castle lay a prone figure in a snow white cloak that covered their whole body. They held a pair of binoculars against their eyes looking at a group of people moving about the courtyard below. They watched as the people in the courtyard carved out a six pointed star with the giant crystal rose in the center and each point of the star ended with one of the crystal figures that surround the rose. The observer then reached their other hand into their cloak and pulled out pa palm size crystal disk with runes inscribed into it. "Hidden Blade to Hallow Shade. You there Shade?" They said in the melodious feminine voice. The disk then lit up and showed a three dimensional image of a woman with purple hair that fell down half way down her back. She was wearing golden armor.

"Read you loud and clear Blade. Now what is the situation?" The image responded.

"Well, according to the crimson snowflake symbol that is painted all over the castle walls, it looks like this is the same group as the one that busted up the Camelot museum and stole that rainbow colored crystal sphere a couple of months ago. They appear to be made up of mostly Arcadians with a some Aerians. The apparent leader is wearing a white colored cloak adorned with the same crimson symbol with the hood pulled over their head, the only identifying part of them is a lock of dark red hair hanging out of the hood. They have a young Rhean girl with silver bat wings and long light blue and purple colored hair, chained from her neck to a giant crystal flower in the middle of the courtyard. The girl is dressed in a loose fitting red wool dress that is riddled with holes. She appears to be about somewhere around twelve or thirteen years of age. Some of the arcadians are carving the runic symbol for magic around the crystal flower with each point of the star ending at one of the crystal figures surrounding the it. A couple of the Aerians are patrolling the area outside of the castle. The rest of the group seem to be setting up in the main building of the castle." Blade reported to Shade.

"Do they look to be setting up for a long stay?" the image of Shade asked.

"I would say so. They are building fortifications to defend with and repairing the main gates. They also have a teleportation circle set up on the west side of the to ship in food and supplies." Blade stated after she looked towards the castle gate and saw some of the Arcadians moving lumber to shore up the decayed gates.

"If that is the case, then you need to stay and observe them some more. Contact us if anything changes and don't get caught." The Image ordered right before it disappeared.

'Ok, so more spying while I wait for the big wigs back home to argue about what to do about this.' Blade thought to herself as she turned her attention back to the crystal flower. When she trained the binoculars on the flower she saw that the little girl was looking right at her. 'Wait can she see me? That's not possible! I have my perception filter active.' Blade thought as she started to panic thinking that her ability had stopped working, but when she looked again the girl wasn't even looking in her direction. 'Must have been my imagination, nobody can see through a perception filter.' She mused as she got comfortable in preparation for a long stakeout.

 **Royal Guard Headquarters**

 **Captain Shining Armors' Office Camelot Castle**

A large muscular Arcadian man with double toned blue colored hair and wearing a white and purple officer's uniform was sitting at his desk filling out paperwork, when somebody knocked on his door. He looked up from his stack of papers and said, "Come in."

The door opened and in stepped Shade. She walked to just in front of the desk and stood at attention. "Captain Armor." She said as she saluted him.

"At ease." Shining said with a nod. "What have you got for me Shade?"

Shade handed over the papers she had in her hand and answered, "The latest reports from Chrysalis' scouts."

"Thank you Shade. You are dismissed." Shining said as he started to go through the reports. With the dismissal Shade exited the office and closed the door. As soon as the door was closed he let out a tired sigh and ran his hands through his hair. "While I can't argue with the effectiveness of using the Kriea as spies, I just wish it didn't require a marriage between me and Chrysalis' daughter. By the ascended ones, I never thought that I would be in a political marriage let alone one with someone I've never met." He groaned out as he started to go through the reports. "I wonder how Twilight will react to the fact that her military centric brother is getting married and in two weeks no less." He mused then drop the stack of papers onto the desk. " Damn, I forgot to tell her that I am getting married! I am in so much trouble. She is going to be so ticked off. I need to get to Celestia before she sends off the letter to ask my sister and her friends to help with the wedding." Shining then rushed out of the room and down the hall to try and stop his intimate doom. As he got to the throne room the guards on either side of the doors leading in saluted him. He nodded to them and then opened the door only to see a flash of green and a scroll to appear out of thin air. The scroll was then picked up by an eight foot tall woman with pink, green and blue hair. She was wearing white backless dress that came down to her feet. The throne she sat on also had no back to accommodate her fifteen feet snow colored wings. She read the words on the scroll and the beckoned shining over to her. Once he was close enough she handed him the scroll without saying anything. Shining took it in his hand proceeded to read it.

Dear, High Ascendant Celestia

Please give this letter to my brother.

Dear, Shining

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS WHEN I GET THERE!

Sensorly, you LSBFF

Shining dropped the scroll on the floor and muttered, "Just my luck."

Celestia cleared her throat getting Shining's attention. " So I take it you neglected to tell your sister about your engagement to Princess Cadence of the Kriea?" She asked. It took all of Shining's effort to just nod his head.

"I am so dead." he said as he bowed to Celestia, then turned around and left the room.

After he left Celestia's shoulders started to shake. The shaking moved down to her chest, then stomach until she was full out laughing. "You can come out now Queen Chrysalis." She said through her laughter.

A shimmering effect rippled to the left of the closed doors and revealed a seven foot tall dark skinned woman with green and blue hair and two black antennas sticking out from her forehead. She was wearing a midnight black dress with purple trim and no back to accommodate the giant butterfly like wings coming from her back. On her head was a black crown. "How did you see through my perception filter Celestia?" Chrysalis asked in curiosity. Her hips swaying back and forth seductively as she walked forward towards Celestia. "I am most curious as to how you saw me without me wanting you to." She practically purred at the ascendant.

"I didn't see you but rather noticed an area where my attention would not stay focused on no matter how hard I tried." Celestia answered in amusement. "So now that you've seen the man that you daughter has chosen to be her husband, what do you think of him?"

" He seems to be very diligent and professional at first glance, but in his unguarded moments has shown to be caring, if a bit over excitable. With the amount of love and compassion I sense from coming from him it is no wonder my little Cadi is smitten with him." Chrysalis answered with an earnest smile.

"Speaking of whom, where is your daughter? Celestia asked with a raised eyebrow. "Shouldn't she have been here to officially meet her betrothed in a couple of hours?"

"Oh probably out and about with your citizens strengthening people's feelings of love and friendship. While my people are empaths, We usually can only feel what others are feeling at any given moment. But my daughter as the Ascendant of Love has the ability to strengthen the feelings of love and friendship." Chrysalis answered with a chuckle. " She sure does love playing matchmaker. So much so she has gained the nickname "Shipping Queen" among our people."

Celestia looked at the Kriean Queen for awhile before deciding to ask the question that popped into her head. "If Cadence is the Ascendant of Love and serves the Goddess Lotus Blossom, do you mind if I ask which Ancient One you serve?"

"Oh, I am the ascendant of the goddess Harmony." Chrysalis answered with a hint of amusement in her voice. "That is one of the reasons we Krieans have as a race approved of this alliance. As you have fostered the tenants of Harmony in your kingdom we feel that this place might become a new home."

Right as Celestia was about to ask more questions of the queen a flash of red flame appeared in front of Chrysalis and a scroll fell out it. Chrysalis picked up the scroll and proceeded to read it. "Well, looks like thing are going to be interesting for next while." The queen muttered to herself her antennae twitching back and forth in agitation. She then looked up at Celestia who was sitting patiently on her throne. "Well Dragon Lord Torch has called a world assembly. It is to take place in the dragon lands in a month's time. As he knew that I was here in New Arcadia he has asked that you or you sister attend as this involves your people."

The news was enough to make Celestia speechless. 'This must be really serious if Torch is allowing Arcadians in his borders let alone a High Ascendant. He hasn't let an Arcadian in since before the foundation of New Arcadia.' she thought as she mulled over the possible reasons for Torch calling a world assembly.

While Celestia was having her conversation with Chrysalis Shining Armor had made it back to his office. At either side of the door stood a guard in purple armor. The both had black bat like wings and when they saw Shining they gave him a quick salute in respect. He nodded two both of them and then opened his door. He was greeted with the sight of a six and a half foot tall woman with dark blue hair that had white specks in it making it look like the night sky, twelve foot long black bat wings, and was wearing dark blue battle armor. She was standing behind his desk with some of his papers in her hand frowning. He cleared his throat and said, "High Ascendant Luna." He then entered the room and bowed to her as old tradition demanded.

As he entered the room she looked up at him. "Ah Captain Armor I was just looking for you when I saw this report on you desk. This group in the frozen north has kidnapped one of my children. I can not let this stand! You will form a task force and have them deal with group post haste. Now I need to go talk with my sister about the migration of the Valera to New Arcadia from my old kingdom of Lunaria" After she was done talking she put the papers back on the desk and walked out of the office and closed the door.

"What else can go wrong today?" Shining groaned out as he sat down at his desk and looked at the clock on the wall. "Great only two hours before I have to meet the Kriean Princess for lunch. This just isn't my day" He voiced out loud in annoyance and set about forming a task force to do Luna's bidding.

 **Camelot City Market District**

 **Two hours later**

The market district of Camelot was crowded like usual, with people going back and forth between different stores and stalls. Off to one side of a particular busy tailors stood three figures that nobody paid any attention to despite their outlandish attire. Two of the figures being about six feet tall were male and wore large brown trench also had antennas on their foreheads. The third while being female was about six inches taller than her companions. She wore blue jeans and a white tee-shirt with a red heart on the front of it and the words shipping queen in gold in the heart. She had large butterfly wings sticking out of her back as well as antennas sticking out of her striped violet, rose and gold hair that hangs halfway down her back in between her wings. She was looking back and forth at the different races rushed about her little group with a smile on her face and her antennas waving around in excitement. One of the males looked at the female and said, "Calm down princess or you'll cause your perception filter to fail."

The princess looked at him and asked, "How can you be calm with all this around us Smoke Screen? Can't you feel all these emotions, all this positive feelings just flowing around us? If I know it would be this lively I would have come sooner, and how many times do I have to tell you to call me by my name?" As she said this Smoke brought his right hand up and looked at his watch.

"Well there goes your people watching time. We need to leave now if we are going to make for lunch with your fiancé Princess Cadence." Smoke said with a smirk. Cadence just sighed at smoke but instantly perked up at the thought of lunch with Shining Armor.

" Oh, I wonder if he remembers me from when he visited Kriea with his parents and his cute little sister, when his father came to study our culture ten years ago?" She said with a bit of nervousness. The man on her other side of her sensed her feelings and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I sure he will. If not right away then after you remind him of those times. You are not easy to forget my princess." He reassured her. "Now let's go and meet him."

"Okay, and thanks Morning Mist." Cadence said as they started to move through the crowd heading to her lunch date.

 **Frozen North Ruins of Old Arcadia later that night.**

The cloaked leader of the group of people in the old castle walked up to the the crystal flower in the middle of the courtyard and placed a hand on it. A red energy flowed into the flower from her hand. The girl chained to the flower started to writhe in agony as the red energy flowed into her. The cloaked figure didn't even pay the girl any mind. "Soon my goddess, just a bit longer and we will free you from your prison. Then the world will feel your pain and suffering once again!" She said and then started to laugh hysterically causing the girl to put her hands over her pointed ears and curl up in the fetal position whimpering. Up in the tower Hidden Blade was watching on in disgust and discomfort as she felt the amount of hatred and anger coming from the cloaked figure from where she lay.


	3. Dawn of Winter

**Nine Thirty PM**

 **August 28th, 2 A.L.R.**  
 **Ten miles from Old Arcadia**

Seven figures were scattered about a large crystal cave. There was a fire in the middle of the cave to give them some heat while they waited out the blizzard raging outside. Six of them were wearing white wool cloaks over leather armor. The last figure was wearing a brown cloak with a hood that was pulled up over their head. Grayscale colored hair flowing out from underneath the hood. A figure leaning against a crystalline wall looked towards the grey haired figure.  
"Hey Miss Yearling, any idea how long this blizzard is going to last?" they yelled out.

The woman glanced back at the speaker and narrowed her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you that when I am on assignment for the crown I'm to be referred to as Misty Veil. As a lieutenant of the night guard you should at least know and respect that." She chided him. "About your question Crescent Blade, blizzards this far north have been known to last at least a week long."

Crescent mulled over the information while he absently ran his left hand through his burgundy and navy blue colored hair. ' Alright, if we could be stuck here for a week or more, we will need to set up a teleportation circle and call back for extra supplies.' With that thought, he walked up to the pair next to the fire. "Counterspell, I need you to set up a teleportation circle and use the crystal responder to get ahold of Quartermaster Crystal Quartz. Make sure you request enough food and gear to last us at least two weeks." As soon as he finished ordering it, the green haired arcadian got up and went to work. "As for you Moonlight, how are you at flying in bad weather conditions?" He asked the silver haired Riean woman. Moonlight for her part looked at him as if he had grown an extra head.

"Is that a real question?" She asked Crescent, thinking that this might be a joke. With no response forthcoming from him, she sat there for a couple of minutes, then shook her head in disbelief. "Sir, with all due respect, you must think I am a wendigo with such a request. There is no way in tartarus that I'm in flying in a blizzard without my wings freezing up. Not to mention the zero visibility problem." She retorted, sarcasm dripping from each word. "You would have better luck having Counterspell conjuring the blizzard away."

Rather than get into another argument with Moonlight, Crescent decided to go and see how the creation of the teleportation circle was going. At the front of the cave, Misty shook her head and muttered something disparaging about soldiers under her breath. She looked back out into the snowstorm.

 **Eight Eighteen PM**

 **August 29th, 2 A.L.R.**  
 **Old Arcadia Castle Courtyard**

The courtyard was the center of a lot of activity. In front of each of the six crystalline statues stood naked male and female Arcadians. They had runic symbols painted all over their bodies and held a jagged dagger in their right hand. In the center of all this was the leader of the group in her white cloak. She stood in front of the Crystalline Rose with the Riean girl chained to the center of the flower by her hands and feet. In the air above the six statues were Aerians with nets at the ready. The painted people started to sway back and forth chanting. While this was happening the rune of magic lit up with a Violet glow. The light soon reached an almost blinding brightness. The white cloaked leader threw back her hood, revealing a head full of red and silver hair and glowing ruby colored eyes. She started to sing a song. As she sang, the pink colored gem embedded in her throat glowed with a ruby light. After about half an hour, she stopped and chanted at the top of her lungs. "Juanth ir si tor wux tale nomeno qumadosfan di iejir vur yobolat vur confn ekess tobor!" As she uttered the last words of the chant, all the people in front of the six statues gripped their daggers with both hands. Then they plunged the dagger into their chest, stabbing themselves in the heart. The light changed to a crimson red and screams of intense pain started coming from the crystalline rose.  
When the light faded, all was quiet except the sound of flapping wings. Then a cracking sound could be heard coming from each of the six crystalline statues. "Drop the nets now!" Ordered the leader as she looked on the Riean girl who was no longer chained. The girl had went through a physical transformation. Her hair was now an icy blue and she had horns made of ice sticking out of either side of her head. Her once white bat wings were now a dark blue and had a distinct dragon like quality to them. She also had a crimson snowflake symbol on her outer right thigh.

The Aerians hovering over the cracking statues dropped the black nets they were holding onto said statues. After a few minutes. the statutes shattered revealing six human figures, three male and three female. All were wearing armor each of a different color and make. Five of the six seemed to be asleep. The one that was awake was struggling against the net draped over him with no clear progress. "What is the meaning of this! Who has broken the binding seal, and why can I not access my magic?!"

The red and silver haired woman looked at the speaker. He was wearing pitch black armor with a red cape. He had black hair and scarlet colored eyes. "Why we have awakened our goddess from her forced slumber. As to who we are, we are the cult of the crimson winter. We have prepared thirty years for this moment." She watched as he struggled to access his magic and laughed. "I would stop trying to use your magic to escape, you are only going to hurt yourself . You see, you cannot access your magic because the net that you are currently caught in contains obsidian, which is draining your magic." she replied with a hint of disdain in her voice.

The scarlet eyed man looked up at the female looming over him and stared at the gem embedded in her neck. "Excuse my disbelief of your concern for my well-being when I am surrounded by the corpses of my countrymen and I have an aerian siren who has broken the seal on the Queen of Winter's soul in front of me." He said in a deep gravelly voice. "It is like you barbaric aerians to sacrifice others just to gain a little power." He sneered at the siren.

"YOU DARE TO CALL US BARBARIC WHEN YOUR KIND TORTURES OTHERS WHOSE ONLY SIN IS BEING BORN DIFFERENT FROM THEM!" The siren yelled at him and then took off her cloak. She wore nothing underneath but it wasn't her nudity that caused him to avert his eyes. Every inch of her skin had scars or welts. Where her wings should have been there were only two stubs. She pulled on the cloak again and moved back to the Crystalline Rose. "I was four years old when this gem grew in my throat. it was at that time that the Arcadian noble that was in charge of my home town decided I was a danger and had my wings cut off. He then killed my parents so that there was no more possibility of more sirens being born. He kept me around as his personal slave and would whip and cut me as punishment whenever I got out of line. For twelve years I endured his abuse till the cult killed him and rescued me." As she said this she picked up the girl in the rose gently like she was the girl's mother. "Whatever the Queen does to you Arcadians is too good for you."

"While I would love to be here to find out what that is, I will take my comrades and make a tactical retreat." The armored man replied as he turned into black smoke. The smoke surrounded the five other armored people and as the smoke cleared, they were gone.

"What? How did he escape? Those nets had magic stealing obsidian woven in them. He shouldn't have been able to access his magic." The siren said in frustration.

"He was able to get out because of what he is." An icy voice said from her arms. She looked down and noticed that her goddess was awake. "If you would be so kind to as put me down before I freeze your arms that would be great." The siren put her new queen down and fell to her knees begging for forgiveness. "Well at least some of the lower life forms know their place. Now as I was saying, that man was Sombra the Reaper. He is an amalgamation of an Arcadian, a shadow wrath and an earth elemental. He has the ability to absorb gems and rocks to fuel his magic. He is the most dangerous living weapon the Arcadians ever produced." The child avatar of winter explained. "Now who are you siren and why did you resurrect me?" she asked. When she didn't get an immediate response she started tapping her left foot in an impatient manner. "Well? I'm waiting!" She snapped annoyed at the lack of response.

The siren looked up from where she kneeled and said in a shaky voice. "My name is Serenade and I am the current leader of the cult of winter. We brought you back so you can bring justice to the Arcadians for all the evil they have done. Everyone in the cult is yours to command as you see fit."

"So you wish to serve me? If I accept your offer, all your life forces will tie into mine. You will be changed and empowered by me. You will not know rest, not even in death. Think on if you want this." The avatar said. All the aerians answered with yes and before any could second guess themselves they were surrounded by a blue colored mist. Screams and the sound of snapping bones could be heard from the mist. When the mist cleared it revealed the aerians, if they could be called as such anymore. Their skin was now an ice blue, with their hair being a sky blue. They now sported fangs instead of regular teeth. Their wings were now made up of jagged ice. The siren, yet while having the same skin and hair color as the others had gained a pair of beautiful white wings. Her skin now had no scars or welts on it. In fact it could be said that her skin was perfect. She open her eyes and revealed gold colored eyes with tears beginning to form.

"It is too late to back out now; your lives and souls belong to me. You will serve me until I release you. Now go my windigos, go and spread winter to the lands." Winter's avatar commanded. The windigos spread their icicle wings and flew off into the night. "As for you, my little snow bird. I would like you to sing me a song to lure any living souls to bolster our ranks."

Serenade started to sing against her will. Tears of joy rolling down her face as she felt her years of pain and suffering slowly fade away. The avatar of winter sat down on the Crystalline Rose amid the dead bodies and hummed a happy little tune to herself.

Up in the tower Hidden Blade had watched all this unfold and was glad that she remembered to pack her one time use teleportation rune. "I must warn the Queen." She said to herself as she activated the rune and despite there being a flash of light nothing else happened. She tried using it a few more times with the same result. She looked at the depowered rune in confusion "Why didn't it work? I saw them using their teleportation circle to travel to and from here so why can't I?"

"That is because the walls of this place has a layer of obsidian in them. This prevents any native spells from going in or out of here. No such protection is in the courtyard a fact I exploited when I attacked this castle." A chilly voice said from behind her. Hidden felt her heart drop into her stomach as she turned around and found the avatar of winter there looking at her with curiosity. "Now what are you? You don't smell like an arcadian, an aerian or a terren. I also have to concentrate just to be able to keep my eyes on you and yet I don't sense any active magic coming off of you. What an interesting ability you have, I must add you to my new collection." The avatar who was looking Hidden up and down said with all the excitement of a cat finding a mouse to play with.

'I really need to get out of here!' Was the only thought that entered Hidden's mind as her heart rate skyrocketed at the emotions coming from the deceptively innocent looking body that housed the soul of an ancient dragon. She looked at the open door behind the winter queen and a plan began to form in her mind. She reached her left hand into one of her cloak's pockets.

"So what do you say? If you become my minion willingly, I will allow you to keep your sense of self." The avatar offered to Hidden as if it was a generous offer.

"As tempting as that is I will have to decline." Hidden said as she threw what she held in her left hand at the avatar who caught it. The object released a white smoke as soon as it came into contact with the avatar's hand. Hidden wasted no time and rushed out the door.

"Why do they always choose the hard way?" The avatar asked in a disappointed voice. "Well, at least this will help me get use to a human form again." She mused and started whistling a haunting tune as she followed Hidden out the door.

 **Two thirty seven AM**

 **August 30th, 2 A.L.R.**  
 **Two miles from Old Arcadia**

Lieutenant Blade slowly woke up from a dream in which he was captain of the night guard. As he came to consciousness, all he could hear was singing. Something felt off to him but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. ' That song is very relaxing and soothing. I should go back to sleep.' He thought tiredly.

"No don't listen to the song!" A voice yelled cutting through the melody. Crescent found himself face to face with Misty Veil. He let out a startled yelp and fell on his butt. He felt something wet under him and upon looking found that he was sitting on snow, outside in a forest. The night sky was clear and moon full allowing him to see thanks to his Reian half.

"Okay, what's going on here? The last thing I remember is going to sleep last night." He asked Misty with a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Oh now you hear me and not the last twenty times I tried snapping you out of the siren's spell in the last six hours. I swear, you guards have no magic resistance." She huffed in annoyance. "As for your question, you and the others in this merry band of glorified eye candy became entrapped by a siren's song. Now let's get moving, as the others are still under the siren's spell and still heading in the direction of old Arcadia."

With that, Misty turned around without waiting to see if Crescent was getting up. She started following the footprints in the snow, not waiting around to see if Crescent was following her. "And don't pay attention to the song if you don't want to get caught again. Here's a hint, think of something that irritates you." She said over her shoulder to Crescent almost as an afterthought.

'Think of something that irritates me, she says. If I didn't know better, I'd say she was being this much of an ass to keep me from listening to the siren. But, I do know better as this is how she has been this whole time.' Crescent thought as he got up and followed after Misty, both of them following the tracks of the rest of the guards.

 **Three fourteen AM**

 **Outskirts of Old Arcadia**

"Ugh I wish that singing would just stop." Crescent complained out loud for the fifteenth time as he and Misty Veil finally made it to the outskirts Old Arcadia. Misty shook her head and continued forward.

As she walked she looked at the buildings that they passed by. They were well persevered for being at least five thousand years old give or take a hundred years. In fact, to her trained eye it looked like what damage was caused by something other than exposure to the elements. 'It is almost like something the size of a fully grown dragon destroyed this city but if that was the case then where are the melted stones and burnt wood? That was standard procedure for them at the time but there is nothing of the sort here.' She mused while following the footprints left by the rest of their party.

"Um Misty, you're going to want to see this!" Crescent called over to her with a trace of urgency in his voice. Misty looked in the direction she heard his voice and noticed that he was a couple houses down from her. He was currently looking in through the front door of the building. When she walked over and took a look inside the building she was greeted with the sight of a family of five encased in ice. There was surprise and horror on their faces. In front of them, there were still plates of half eaten food. There was no warning for them that something was wrong.

'People frozen solid, damage to the buildings similar but not exactly like that of native dragons would cause. This screams extra-dimensional.' Misty thought as she examined the frozen bodies. She then heard Crescent muttering something to him self. She looked over at him and saw that he had lost all color in his face. She strained her ears and could just make out what he was saying.

" It can't be, but what if that song my grandmother use to sing to me is right? Now how did that verse go?"

"Keep careful watch of my Sisters ' souls  
And should the sky be filled with Ice and snow  
Keep watching over Arcadia girl  
If this is to end in winter  
Then we should all frozs together  
Watch the winter climb high into the night." He recited from memory.

'Is that part of the arcadian folksong I See Winter? Wait something is wrong! I can't put my finger on but something is off.' It took her a few minutes to determine what was wrong but when she did it filled her with dread. 'There is no sounds besides the ones being made by Crescent's chanting.' Almost as if waiting for her to notice, a voice came from outside the house.

"Admiring my handy work?" A young sounding voice with an icy tone to it asked. Both Misty and Crescent turned to the door only to be greeted by the sight of a young Riean girl with long ice blue hair looking at them. "I admit that it is some of my better work. Would you believe that they are still alive and awake?" she asked the both of them.

Crescent looked back and forth between the frozen people and the girl. "So I take it that you are the dragon of winter mentioned in the old folktales brought back to life?" he asked the girl.

"I don't know anything about folktales but yes I am the Queen of winter. Now if you both could come with me I will add you to my growing collection." The queen of winter answered and crossed her arms waiting impatiently for them to answer.

Crescent's answer came in the form of a conjured fireball that he fired at the queen. The force of the spell forcing her across the street into another building. Crescent then looked to Misty and reached into his pocket and tossed something from it to her. Misty caught it and found it to be a one way teleportation rune.

"That will take you back to the cave. Your new mission is to make sure that High Ascendant Celestia knows that the dragon of winter is back." He ordered in a authoritative voice. Misty for her part looked ready to argue but he stopped her with a look. "This is no longer a rescue mission but one of containing. You have a better chance of survival in the wilderness then me so this is the way it goes. Now I've got to go distract a dragon." With that said he walked out the door.

The first thing he noticed upon exiting the building was that the queen of winter was picking herself out of building she was knocked into. It also appeared that her dress got destroyed because she was completely naked.

"Well looks like we have a bug that doesn't know their place. I hate doing things the hard way but someone has to show you the way of the world." The queen said to Crescent in a disappointed tone. She held her left hand in front of her. A flash of blue light came from her hand and a blue colored scimitar appeared. She looked at Crescent with a smirk and the disappeared.

'Crap!' Crescent thought as he rolled forward just barely dodging the attack aimed at his spine. He looked back at his opponent and raised his hands a pair of long swords made of pure mana appeared in his hands along with sixteen other swords in the air around him. With a flick of his wrist he sent the blades around him at her. Just as the blades were about to hit her she disappeared again. Crescent brought the sword in his right hand behind his head and felt it block the sword aimed at his neck. While his sword did manage to block the attack it dissipated a moment later as if the magic holding it's form was gone. His eyes widened at that and he scrambled away from the dragon in human form.

"Confused? This blade is called Frostfang. It has the ability to disrupt the flow of magic in anything it strikes. It was made out of one of my own fangs. Now let us continue with your lesson." She told him right before she disappeared from his view yet again.

Crescent then conjured up more swords and set them to rotate around him at high speeds making a barrier out of the blades. 'Just need to distract her a bit longer.' he thought. "Ha I would like to see you get through this!" He taunted hoping that she would fall for it.

"Okay, if you insist." Was all he heard before he smelt the odor of ozone. A few seconds later he felt the agonizing pain of lighting striking him. He fell to the ground his swords disappearing. A pair of feet appeared in his sight and started to approach him as he fought to stay awake. "I will never understand why everybody thinks that because I am an ice manakete that I know only how to use ice like I am a one trick pony." She said as she got right in front of Crescent and kneeled down. "Now sleep and when you wake I will embrace you as a child of winter." With those words echoing in his mind, Crescent passed out.


End file.
